Water heater



Oct. 27, 1931.

c. B. PAGE ET AL WATER HEATER Filed Nov. 2. 1928 Inventors Charl$ B- g Attys.

Patented Oct. 27, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES B. IAGE, OF EVANSTOIT, AND ALBERT G. KALK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS-

SIGNORS, BY EZCESNE ASSTGNMENTS, TO THE G. W.

ILLINOIS, A COMMON LAW TRUST WATER Application filed November The present invention relates to improve ments in water heaters and steam generators, and has particular reference to devices of this kind adapted for use in heating systems for buildings.

In heaters utilizing gaseous or vaporized fuel, some fuel is likely to leak from the burners into the combustion chamber during idle periods, thereby causing danger of explosions when lighting the burners to start up operation. One of the important objects of the present invention therefore resides in the provision in a novel heater utilizing a gaseous or vaporized fuel of means for ventilating the combustion chamber during idle periods.

Another object of the present invention resides in the proved water heater in which the water is given a rapid circulation so as to improve the efficiency of heat transmission and to accelerate the circulation of the water through the heating system.

A further object resides in the provision in a water heater of a novel arrangement of heating tubes whereby a more nearly uniform velocity of the products of combustion in passing over thetubes is maintained.

Other objects reside in the provision of a 7 new and improved water heater which is efficient in operation, and economical in fuel consumption, in which the water is heated rapidly, which is simple, inexpensive and compact in construction, which is easily assembled and disassembled, and in which a counter flow is provided between the prodnets of combustion and the water.

Further objects and advantages will be- ,come apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a horlzontal sectlonal view taken along line 11 of Figure 3 of a heater embodying the features of our lnvention.

Figure 2 is a horlzontal sectional view taken along line 2-2 of F lgure 3.

provision of a new and im-- DULANY TRUST, OF CHICAGO,

HEATER 2, 1928. Serial No. 316,699.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, we have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that we do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the heating unit shown may be used either as a water heater or a steam generator, but for convenience of description will be designated hereinafter as a water heater.

The water heater may be of any suitable form, and in the preferred embodiment is generally cylindrical in shape and disposed vertically, and comprises a body structure 10 resting on a base 11. The interior of the body structure 10 constitutes a vertical chamber closed at the upper end by a dome 12, and opening at the lower end into the base 11. Of the chamber, the upper end is utilized as a combustion chamber 13, and the lower portion 14 is utilized to enclose heating tubes 15 for the water.

Any desired number of suitable burners may be provided for the combustion chamber 13, and these may be arranged in any suitable manner. In the present instance, eight burners 16 of standard construction mounted in peripherally spaced relation in the side walls of the body structure are provided. While any suitable fuel may be used, preferably the burners 16 are adapted to burn gas, and to this end are connected to a gas line 17 and to an air line 18, leading respectively to suitable sources of gas and compressed air (not shown).

The base 11 may be of any suitable construction, and in the presentinstance has a box or chamber 26 provi lower end of he water chamber 28 is 1 bottomwal'l'2l' of the base axially into the heating chamber 14, and V which preferably is of refractory material;

v Theheating tubes 15 in '10 in position.

- base 11.

peripheral side wall 19 and top and'bottom walls 20 and 21. The top wall 20 hasa circular opening22 communicating with the tube chamber 14, and the marginal portion of the wall about the opening serves to support the body structure 1 10. CA. circular upstanding flange 23 concentric with serves to locate and hold the body structure The base 10 is formed with a lateral extension 24 having a stack outlet 25*, and tlieginterior thereof i I 'ding a gas outlet from the chamber l4to the stack.

usedas fuel, water'vapor may condensenut or the products of combustion as the latter are cooled to below the evaporation temperature in the course When gas, particularly commercial gas, is

bottom wall 21 is inclined, and is provided with" adrain opening 27' at its lowermost point. g

The body structure ripheral or surrounding water fchamber 2B,

annular in the present instance, about the interior,-and to this'endha's'inner and outer peripherally spaced walls 29Qand 30. The

byan 'end wall '31, and the upper end opens 1 into theinterior 01" thedome 12 which com"- prises outwardly convex spaced inner and outerwall's 32;an'd' 33. The burners-16 are. mounted in annular walls 34 opening through the water chamber 28. 1

Preferably, forconvenience in'construction and in assembly and 'disassembly, the body structurefl O is formed in closed upper and lower 's'ectionsy35 and 36, the upper section being form'edinte-gral with the dome 12, and

the sections being rigldly secured together,

asby means of lugs 37 and bolts 38. A plu rality of peripherally spaced connections 39 e free communications beserve to prcvid v tween the sections; Preferably, the lower section 36 also is divided into closed semicylindrical 1 sections 40 and 41 get-her in anyrsuit'able manner, o'flugs 42 and bolts43.

The heating tubes 15 maybe 05 any suitable form and may be arranged in any suitable manner. In the presentinstancethey {are disposed in anannular space about a central core'45 which rests on a pedestal '44 on't'h'e 11 and projects secured toas by means the-preferred form in four vertical concentric'coils 49, with the tubes of adjace'nt in staggeredrelation, and each are arranged 46, 47, 48 and COllS dlSPOSGCl coil comprises twotubes 15 wound in parallel;

chamber 28, and are connected at-their' upper to give access the opening 22 constitutes a smoke tween the tubes of their passage to the To drain off this condensate, the

ing system is adapted 10 is formed with aipeclosed 7 ends in peripherally spaced relation to the upper end of the water chamber. Suitable plugs 51 are removably secured in the wall 30 at points directly opposite the fittings to the latter; Preferably, the upper ends of the tubes 15 extend out of the heating chamber 14 through channels 52 formed in the upper end ofthe 36 and between the sections 35 and 36, and op'en to the water chamber 28th-rough an overlrahg ihglp'eiiipheral wants for ini'ngh con tinuation of the wall 30. The spacing be 5 in each coil gradually: decreases from top to bottom in accordance with the tendency "of the velocity of the prod ucts o'f combustion-to decrease. As "a result,

the velocity of the products of combustion is maintained more nearly constant.

returned from the heatto enter the lower end of the water chamber. 28 through an, inlet Feed water or water ofi' fromthe-upperiend'of a wa' terchamber, and in the present instance :the dome, through a plurality of take-0E pipes 55.

When:gaseousor vaporized fuel is used, a certain amount of leakage from the burners 16 may occur-during idle periods. This leakage will collect in the combustionchamber 13, and unless removed may result inexplosions whenagain-startingup thelieaten To prevent this, suitable'meansiis provided for ve'nt'ilating the. combustion cha1nb'er13. In the present instance, this means comprises an opening-56 through the center; of the dome 12 and connectedby a pipe 57 to the stack. Dischargingxfdowinvardlyin the opening 56 is'an aiTJnoZZle 58.-adapted toEbeconnctedto a-suit ablcsourcegof air-under pressure, s-uch as the line=18.. 1 The nozzle 58 serves to supply'sec- 'ondary air of combustion during the operation,-zandfin so doing serves to prevent the fuel gases and theproductsv of combustion from leaving the combustion chamber 13 through-theopening 56. During idle periods the supply of airzto the nozzle 58 is cut oil'. It will'be evident that we have-provided an advantageous water heater in which j danger of explosions from gases collecting I in the combustien chamber is avoided, in which the wateris heated quickly andhas a rapid circulation, which is'sirnp'le and inexpensive in construction; and readily; assembled and dis, assembled, and in-Whichthe walls of the cornbustionchamber are protected against overheatingby means of'a jwatcr jacket forming part or the circulatory'syste n. By reason of the'a'rrangement of th'ebur-ners in peripherallyspaced relation; so as to direct theflames I generally toward a common center, and the disposition er the .air nozzle .58 --to discharge lower section fro awcentral"downward-stream ofai-r, the flames are caused tofbe defiected downwardly to ward the core =45, thereby *causin g 3 the la'tt'er to become i ritensely heated; l is ajresultythe inner coils 46 and 47 about the core A5 are heated approximately the same extent asthe outer coils.

We claim as our invention:

1. A heater comprising, in combination, an upright cylindrical structure defining an internal heating chamber closed at the upper end by the dome, the peripheral walls of said structure and the walls or" said dome defining a water chamber, a flue gas outlet at the lower end of said structure, a refractory core extending axially into the lower end of said structure, a series of heating tubes disposed in said heating chamber about said core and connected at spaced points to said water chamber, burner means in the upper end of said heating chamber, and means for ventilating the upper end of said heating chamber.

2. A heater comprising, in combination, a base constituting a flue gas outlet, a body structure on said base defining an upright heating chamber, the upper end of which constitutes a combustion chamber, a refractory core extending from said base centrally into the lower end of said heating chamber, a plurality of heating coils disposed in said heating chamber about said core, said coils being connected at opposite ends to said water chamber, a plurality of peripherally spaced burners opening to said combustion chamber, and means for ventilating said combustion chamber.

3. A heater comprising, in combination, a heating chamber, burner means in said chamber, means for supplying fuel to said burner means, means for supplying air to said burner means, a flue gas outlet for said chamber, means for ventilating said chamber, and means responsive to the supply of air to said burner means for rendering said ventilating means ineffective.

4. A heater comprising, in combination, a heating chamber, a central core in said cham ber, burner means in one end of said chamber, and a series of concentrically arranged coils disposed about said core, the spacing between the turns in said coils decreasing progressively from said heating means toward the other end of said chamber.

5. A heater comprising, in combination, a hollow base having a flue gas outlet, and a stack connection communicating therewith, a cylindrical upright body structure on said base, said body structure comprising two concentrically spaced outer walls defining an annular peripheral water chamber, said body structure being sectioned vertically, a refractory core extending from said base centrally into the lower end of said body structure, a series of heating tubes coiled about said core, the lower ends of said tubes being connected to the lower end of said water chamber, the upper ends of said tubes extending outwardly between two of the sections of said structure and being connected to the upper end of said water chamber, a plurality of spaced heating means disposed in the upper section, means for supplying water to the lower end of said water chamber, means for taking off water from the upper end of said water chamber, a gas outlet opening from said upper section, and pressure fluid discharge means in said outlet adapted when operated to prevent the discharge of gas through said outlet.

6. A heater comprising, in combination, an upright structure defining an internal heating chamber, said chamber having spaced pe ripheral walls defining a water chamber, a dome closing the upper end of said heating chamber, a flue gas outlet at the lower end of said heating chamber, a refractory core extending centrally into the lower end of said heating chamber, a series of heating tubes disposed in said chamber about said core and connected at spaced points to said water chamber, and heating means in the upper end of said heating chamber.

7. A heater, comprising, in combination, a base constituting a flue gas outlet, a body structure on said base defining an upright heating chamber opening to said base, the upper end of which constitutes a combustion chamber, a core extending from said base centrally into the lower end oi said heating chamber, a plurality of heating tubes disposed in said heating chamber about said core, said tubes being connected at opposite ends to said water chamber, and a burner opening to said combustion chamber.

8. A heater comprising, in combination, a heating chamber, burner means in said chamber, a flue gas outlet for said chamber, exhaust means opening from said chamber for ventilating said chamber, and a means for directing a stream of pressure fluid from said exhaust means into said chamber to prevent the exit of gases through said exhaust means.

9. A heater comprising, in combination, a heating chamber, burner means in one end of said chamber, a series of concentrically arranged tube coils disposed in the other end of said chamber, the spacing between the turns in said coils decreasing progressively from said heating means toward said other end of said chambers, and means for withdrawing flue gases from said other end of said chamber.

10. A heater comprising, in combination, a hollow base having a flue gas outlet, an upright body structure on said base, said body structure comprising two spaced outer walls defining a peripheral water chamber, said body structure being sectioned vertically, a series of heating tubes in said structure, the lower ends of said tubes being connected to the lower end of said water chamber, the upper ends of said tubes extending outwardly between two of the sections of said structure and being connected to the upper end of said water chamber, a plurality of spaced heating means disposed-in tlieupper seeti0n,-means for supplying Water to said Water chamber, means for taking ofl Water framsaid water chamber, swizbaft outlet for' Ventilating said upper section and pressure fluid' discharge means in said outlebadapted when operated.

to prevent thedischmrge of gas through said outlet. 7 e

' In testimony whereof we have hereunto af-- fixed our signatures. e

7 CHARLESB. PAGE.

ALBERT KALK. 

